Mental Care Named Yokai: Wisdom for Taming Unidentifiable Fear

Introduction

In our daily lives, we are often caught up in natural disasters, stress, and the like.
In the past, Japanese people maintained peace of mind by projecting their inexpressible anxieties and awe of nature onto characters known as "yokai." In this article, I would like to rethink yokai as "mental care devices" and consider how we can apply that wisdom to the modern age.

"Fear" needs a form

We feel the strongest fear toward things whose true nature we do not understand.

The feeling of a presence behind you on a night road, inexplicable bad luck, or a sudden surge of inner restlessness.

As long as these remain "things we don't understand," we have no choice but to be frightened and overwhelmed.

However, the moment they are given a name and a form—such as "That's a Betobeto-san" or "That's the work of a Binbōgami (Poverty God)"—the world changes its appearance just a little.

1. Compressing giant fear into "human size"

The greatest achievement of yokai is that they lowered the resolution of "unidentifiable, giant fear" to a size that humans can handle.

For example, suppose there is a disaster beyond an individual's control, such as an unknown illness or a poor catch of fish. The human heart is too fragile to accept that as it is.

So, we intervene with a story: "This is the work of a yokai."

By drawing outlines around and naming unfathomable energy, humans were able to transform from beings who were unilaterally trampled upon into active beings who could "negotiate" or "avoid" the target.

2. The kindness of absolution: "It's not my fault"

In modern society, one of the major factors that damages mental health is "self-blame."

"Work isn't going well because I'm not trying hard enough," or "I'm feeling down because my heart is weak."

We tend to look for the cause of all our troubles within ourselves.

However, the worldview of yokai is different.

At first glance, these might look like mere superstitions or shifting blame.

However, from a psychological perspective, this is a legitimate therapy technique called "externalization."

By separating the problem from yourself and blaming it on a "yokai (external entity)," you break the loop of self-denial.

The interpretation that "It's not that I'm bad, it's just that a yokai is visiting right now" was perhaps the gentle wisdom of our ancestors to prevent our hearts from breaking completely.

3. The mental space of "coexistence"

Yokai are not necessarily evil beings that must be exterminated.

Many Japanese yokai have a certain charm, are lonely, or coexist with humans at a distance that is neither too close nor too far.

This is a very important attitude in mental care.

If you fight negative emotions like anxiety, loneliness, and sadness as "enemies to be erased," it becomes a war of attrition. Instead, try looking at them and thinking, "A slightly troublesome yokai has taken up residence inside me."

"Right now, an 'Irira-nyudo' (Irritation Monk) has appeared in my heart. I'll offer it (eat) something sweet to help it calm down."

By turning your emotions into characters and viewing them objectively in this way, you can avoid being swallowed by them.
Acknowledging yokai is also about accepting the parts of yourself that cannot be resolved or controlled with a sense of "playfulness."

4. We need yokai now more than ever

In the modern age, where opening social media means being compared to others and being demanded to be efficient and self-responsible, our surroundings are overflowing with "unidentifiable anxieties" in forms different from the past.

That is precisely why we might be allowed to find our own "modern yokai."

On days when you feel down for no reason, try attributing it to the work of a "Spirit of Low Pressure" or a "Drowsy Imp."

If you feel like you're about to blame yourself, try replacing that voice with the voice of a small yokai called a "Criticism Monk."

By passing through the filter of yokai, the world becomes a little softer and easier to handle.
To protect your peace of mind, don't leave it alone while it's scary.

Give it a form, call it by name, and sometimes laugh it off by saying, "It can't be helped."

Yokai as a "mental care device" that has continued since ancient times. That wisdom continues to function quietly and powerfully in our hearts even today.

Conclusion

What kind of yokai is in your heart right now?

If a nameless anxiety is clinging to your feet, why not start by giving it a name that seems to suit it?